A 10-year franchisee of Moe’s Southwest Grill, Larry Wilson often turns his job into a party. For the last four years, each of his locations—he runs 12 Moe’s units in central New York and northeastern Pennsylvania, and has six more opening this year—has held monthly fundraisers to benefit local...

Asking how a chain and an independent restaurant differ may seem like a deceptively simple question, with the most obvious answer being that independents have one unit—or maybe two, according to an official definition from The NPD Group—while chains are larger in both size and scale.
And though...

Charitable contributions and service have always been important to the management team at Milano Restaurants in Fresno, California. Executives hold seats on nonprofit organizations’ boards, while the operator of franchise brands such as Coney Island Grill and Me-n-Ed’s Pizzeria also sponsors...

When it comes to limited-service Italian, pizza reigns supreme. Five-time James Beard Award finalist chef Gerard Craft believes he can change that with Porano Pasta + Gelato, a new fast-casual concept slated to open in downtown St. Louis this summer.
“People haven’t done a lot of pasta because it’s...

As Steve Easterbrook readies to take over the helm at McDonald’s Corp. next month, one point seems crystal clear: He has his work cut out for him.
In the wake of two years of declining sales and profits, the world’s largest restaurant enterprise is turning to Easterbrook to turn around the ship...

Q: I’m looking to get some investors. I think we do a good job appealing to customers, but what are some tips for appealing to investors?
A: It’s a good time to be thinking about seeking investments. After last year’s successful IPOs by Zoës Kitchen and El Pollo Loco, the restaurant sector seems...

The launch of a new product line is a noteworthy event for any quick-serve. But for Dickey’s Barbecue Pit, its new potato chips are a mere side item to a meatier rollout: a foundation to benefit law enforcement officers and firefighters.
“Let’s coincide the potato chips with our Barbecue, Boots...

Valentine’s Day is an ambiguous occasion—both dreamed about and dreaded—but within the limited-service space, February 14 is a day worth celebrating.
From Heart-Shaped Bo-Berry Biscuits at Bojangles’ to the seasonally inspired First Blush blend at Teavana, a slew of operators are offering special...

Papa Murphy's shares the home-baked love again this Valentine's day with its popular heart-shaped HeartBaker pizza. The HeartBaker pizza will be available at Papa Murphy's locations nationwide February 2–14.

"A seasonal fan favorite by staff and customers alike for over 30 years, our...

Rich Hicks has reached the height of success in the restaurant industry, with his quick-service concepts being heralded with accolades and catapulting him into the spot of a top-ranked entrepreneur. And like so many other leaders in the business, his career began at the bottom, working as a...

Captain D's reached a record-breaking average unit volume and a fourth-quarter same-store sales increase of 5.7 percent at the end of 2014. The company's average-unit-volume growth marks the second year its unit volume has reached an all-time high, and its fourth quarter performance marks the...

The Original Brooklyn Water Bagel Co. is baking up an offer in celebration of National Bagel Day on Monday, February 9. On this day, the restaurant is thanking its guests for their patronage by providing a free small order of its newest product, Bagel Tasters— 10 bite-sized bagels along with...

McDonald’s one-minute “Pay with Lovin’” ad, which aired during the 2nd quarter, is one of the top-scoring ads so far this Super Bowl, according to Ace Metrix, the standard in television and video advertising analytics. The ad achieved an Ace Score of 706, one of the highest Super...

Convenience stores are increasingly taking a larger slice out of the quick-serve pie with fresh food offerings. It’s become such a lucrative business for C-stores that Sheetz, the Pennsylvania-based C-store chain that this week opened its 500th location, is planning stores designed more as fast...

When Lori Newcomb found out she had stage III ovarian cancer last year, she made it her mission to learn more about the disease and help other women fighting the same battle. She sat down with her husband, Chris Newcomb, cofounder and CEO of Southern quick-service chain Newk’s Eatery, and together...

Kevin Kester’s family has been farming in the U.S. for generations. And it’s not just a couple of generations they’ve been farming; more like generations upon generations, way back to the 1600s, specifically in California since the 1860s. Today, Kester owns a 22,000-acre beef cattle ranch in...

While the fast-casual category continues to be the fastest-growing industry sector, the road in 2015 will be bumpy. We will see constant change and challenges around every corner. For industry leaders, there are issues that will keep even the most seasoned executive awake at night.
Here is my top...

Though U.S. consumption is well below other proteins today, seafood will likely be an increasingly important part of the American diet in the years to come. The country’s population is predicted to grow by 89 million between 2010 and 2050 to 401 million people. More people require more food—and...

When fast-casual chain Zoës Kitchen Inc. debuted on the New York Stock Exchange last April, the Plano, Texas–based Mediterranean-style eatery recorded its initial public offering at $87.5 million. Satisfying an investor appetite for investments within the trendy fast-casual space, Zoës’ strong...